Andrew Pelling: I congratulate the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Soames) on securing this debate. I am mindful of the fact that other Members want to speak too, so I shall limit my remarks. The right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field), who I have listened to in previous debates and who has influenced my thinking on immigration over the years, quite rightly made reference to the conspiracy of silence...
Andrew Pelling: I am grateful for my hon. Friend's intervention, because it prompts me to say two things. First, I did something that was probably a bit more mild-mannered than what he did. Well before the last general election, I happened to put a letter around about an issue with a planning application. The letter said that migration, as part of the London plan, influenced housing targets. I was called in...
Andrew Pelling: May I add to the hon. Gentleman's comments about the banality of Auschwitz-Birkenau? When we visited, we saw the pictures of a band welcoming people who had come there. That was one of the saddest deceits that could have been made against people who were ultimately, or sometimes immediately, going to their death.
Andrew Pelling: I am grateful to the Minister for giving way, as I know he has limited time. May I add to what was said in the previous intervention? The Holocaust Educational Trust tells us of the sheer industrial scale of the evil of man to man. I went to Auschwitz-Birkenau, where so much evil was perpetrated in such a dreadful fashion. We must always remember that, and that is why it is important that...
Andrew Pelling: As the Minister comes to the conclusion of his speech, would he acknowledge that today is a chance for us to think positively about forgiveness and redemption? For instance, the German Government have given moneys for a proper facility at Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Andrew Pelling: The Leader of the House is aware that Croydon's branch of the Young Christian Workers came to see me in the House this week. It is made up mainly of eloquent young women, although there are some young men in it, too, and they were here to talk about the continuing "Get Fair" campaign. Would it be appropriate, before the general election, to have a debate in the House about the important issue...
Andrew Pelling: How much funding his Department has provided to the Greater London Authority for the extension of Tramlink to Crystal Palace.
Andrew Pelling: The Minister is right. Substantial moneys have been given for investment in public transport in London, but the Crystal Palace extension, which was on the agenda under Ken Livingstone's mayoralty, offered the prospect of regeneration for deprived parts of my constituency. Traders in Upper Norwood strongly support such a scheme, and there is close to unanimous support in the community. Is it...
Andrew Pelling: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what recent discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on policies to reduce levels of human trafficking for sexual exploitation.
Andrew Pelling: Last night, at a meeting of Croydon council, in response to four questions from independent members of the public and independent councillor, Councillor Cakebread, the council was unable to say how much remuneration councillors received outside their council employment and how many hours they worked. Given that Croydon has the highest basic rate of pay for councillors, will the Government...
Andrew Pelling: Does the Secretary of State share my dismay at the proposals from the usually excellent hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow) in his fair access to school admissions Bill, which would have the effect of reversing the Greenwich judgment, and mean that an artificial Berlin wall would be created between Croydon and Sutton, stopping Croydon parents and students from exercising their...
Andrew Pelling: I am grateful for the Minister's comments about the trafficking unit, because funding was guaranteed for only two years. Does she accept that the unit is important, and would it be possible to keep an open mind on whether additional resources might come from the Government to allow the project to continue?
Andrew Pelling: I would be grateful for your guidance, Mr. Benton, on when Members are to give way for those on the Front Benches to make their final contributions. It is apt that we hold this debate in the wake of the Second Reading of the Crime and Security Bill on Monday and the most welcome review of the family justice system announced yesterday by written statement. Ministers are to be congratulated on...
Andrew Pelling: I am grateful to the hon. Member for Shipley (Philip Davies) for giving me seven-I want to give the Minister time to respond-of the remaining 28 minutes available for this debate. As a confirmed Heathite, I naturally recoil when he rises to speak, but he has nevertheless highlighted some real difficulties with GSCOP. However well meaning government is, sometimes its good intentions are not...
Andrew Pelling: It has a big market share.
Andrew Pelling: Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Andrew Pelling: Let us do this properly. Would it not be possible to argue that supermarkets go for a large market share and act in an oligopolistic manner, which might go against the interests of suppliers and, indeed, consumers?
Andrew Pelling: rose-
Andrew Pelling: I am enjoying the hon. Gentleman's speech. Is there not a danger with this new scheme of failing to recognise that the suppliers can be quite strong and are sometimes large international corporations themselves? It may well be that the new system benefits only the likes of Unilever or, to mention the company that I am associated with, Nestlé.
Andrew Pelling: I am grateful to you for calling me towards the end of these proceedings, Mr. Speaker, which saves my having to go to the gym, which I need to go to because I have been eating too much chocolate. Everyone keeps referring to chocolate, but that is very dangerous. Fudge is obviously the chocolate of choice for us here; the Leader of the House obviously has a soft caramel centre; and I have a...